Paws And The Law: Lexington Park Man Indicted After Video Shows Dog Abuse

LEXINGTON PARK, Md. — A disturbing case of alleged animal abuse captured on surveillance video in August 2025 has resulted in a criminal sentence for a Lexington Park man after authorities say he was recorded repeatedly kicking, striking, and lifting a dog by its neck before slamming it onto a concrete sidewalk.

According to charging documents, Darius Paul Chew, 22, of Lexington Park, has been indicted on multiple animal cruelty charges following the incident, which investigators say occurred in August 2025 and was documented through video evidence later provided to law enforcement.

Court records indicate Chew was criminally indicted on two counts of animal cruelty and one count of animal cruelty — failure to provide necessary care. The charges stem from an incident reported on Aug. 27, 2025, when deputies with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office were provided surveillance footage that authorities say allegedly depicted Chew physically abusing a medium-sized dog outside an apartment complex.

According to the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, the video reportedly shows Chew kicking the dog, striking it, and grabbing the animal by its neck, lifting the dog so that its body was suspended in the air before dropping it to the ground.

Investigators state the footage allegedly shows Chew placing both hands around the dog’s neck and lifting the animal approximately 5 feet into the air before slamming it onto a concrete sidewalk. Authorities say the video continues to allegedly show Chew grabbing the dog by the neck a third time, then grasping the skin on the dog’s back, lifting the animal again, and carrying it into a nearby apartment.

Court records show Chew was sentenced to 90 days of incarceration for each of the two animal cruelty counts, with an additional suspended sentence issued for the animal cruelty — failure to provide necessary care charge. The sentence began Feb. 27, 2026, and the court also ordered three years of supervised probation following the incarceration period.

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